Maitland's Baroque Chamber Orchestra to perform Baroque & Beyond! at Maitland Civic Center

The Baroque Chamber Orchestra will regale an audience with its “Baroque & Beyond” performance Sunday, Sept. 9. The production will feature a mix of classic baroque music pieces, as well as contemporary samples to reflect a modern audience. 

It’s all the creation of president of the Performing Arts of Maitland Jeff Flowers and his wife, Performing Arts of Maitland Executive Director June Flowers. The duo has been working on Baroque & Beyond for about six weeks. 

“We’re trying to introduce our local audiences to baroque music but also throwing in some pieces that are more modern,” Jeff Flowers said. “We try to make it fun. We want to bring some classical, classy works to the audience as well some fun stuff too.”

The show will open with the Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor performed both by renowned musicians Alvaro Gomez and Routa Kroumovich Gomez. Jeff Flowers said the piece is seldom performed because of its difficulty. Luckily, he said the married pair is more than up to the challenge. Alvaro serves as conductor for the Baroque Chamber Orchestra as well as the Maitland Symphony Orchestra. 

“I was looking to get this Baroque Chamber Orchestra started, so I called Alvaro (and asked) who he’d recommend to be the conductor,” Jeff Flowers said. “And he says, ‘How about me?’ I never would have dreamed we could have attracted his talent to our group, but it’s been a terrific success ever since. … (Alvaro and Routa) have played this piece many times on tour before; this is in their repertoire.”

The orchestra’s 18 members, many of whom also perform in the Maitland Symphony Orchestra, consist of four violas, three cellos, 10 violins, a harpsichord and a bassist. Jeff Flowers believes one highlight with the 3-year-old group’s small size is the player’s ability to hear his or her individual instrument, particularly the string section, during practice and performances. 

As for the “Beyond” half of the night, both Jeff and June Flowers felt it fitting to have a suite of music pieces from the “Mamma Mia” musical. A selection of music from “Ragtime Dance” by Scott Joplin will be in the mix, as well. 

The Baroque & Beyond performance marks the first of 11 events, performed by the Baroque Chamber Orchestra, the Maitland Symphony Orchestra and the Maitland Stage Band, that will comprise the Performing Arts of Maitland’s new season. The next symphony concert will be Oct. 18 at the Maitland Presbyterian Church.

IF YOU GO

Maitland Symphony Orchestra’s Baroque and Beyond!

WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9

WHERE: Venue on the Lake, Maitland Civic Center, 641 S. Maitland Ave., Maitland

COST: $10 per ticket

Website: bit.ly/2MO73NE